Last night, I flipped my car. 1984 Toyota Tercel, affectionately known as the Brave Little Toaster. I walked away from it, got a concussion and bad bruises all over, but I figure it's not too bad for flipping a 25 year old car with no airbags.


The scene of the crime. My memory is a little fuzzy, but I think I swerved to avoid a deer (Yeah, I know you're not supposed to do that), and it was just terrible timing. I rode right up that tapered guardrail on the left side of my car, then right down over the bank. I ended up in the creek in the foreground, pointing right at that pipe. The first thing I saw, I was staring straight through that pipe, I had no idea where I was.


The unfortunate BLT. I guess it smacked down right on its right side.

Glad your still alive. I was in a wreck awhile ago too but it wasn't near as bad as yours.

Good thing you weren't hurt.

Seriously though, the little toaster looks almost driveable other than the mess with the passenger side wheels. Tough little bastard if you ask me. I'm sure the car will be sorely missed.

Shael

Glad you're okay!


But I have to say it... that's sad about the Tercel. Although I like Tercels a lot more than your average joe.

True that. I'm almost positive it would start back up and probably drive around, dragging that back wheel. That little thing was a tank, it had been places and done things no Toyota Tercel ever should. It wasn't the prettiest little car, but it was a resilient little bastard.

And thanks. I'm very, very sore everywhere, but I'm ok.

Yeah, my first Tercel did things no vehicle should have... I got it for free and used it as a winter car, drove the living crap out of it, used it as a rally car, off-roader, whatever. It was rusting faster than I could put fuel in it, and then I hit a deer - so after that, I made it into a race car to run at the local speedway, finished the season, and ran it in an endurance race, where I got hit so hard in the drivers door it buckled my roof.

The day I scrapped it, I drove it off the trailer into the scrapyard. I felt terrible doing it.

First off, I'm glad you're not hurt. From the look of the car, it held together pretty damn good. Unfortunately, the bodyman in me sees a totaled car. The BLT is bent right at the B-pillar and the roof has a definite kink. She'll never be right again, my friend.

it looks like she did alright for you one last time.

Thanks, Samurai.

Oh yeah, we're giving up on the car. It definitely held together pretty well all things considered, but it's done for. The whole right side is bashed in a lot deeper than it looks in the picture, plus the roof damage you mentioned. Shame. I briefly considered getting it up and running and entering it in the 4-cylinder demolition derby in the county fair this fall, then decided I've sworn off car accidents, intentional or otherwise, for a while.

We're paying the tow company $75 and signing over the title for the rest of the tow and storage fees. The price of scrap is so down, and the car is so light, it wouldn't be worth the gas and trouble to haul it in to the junkyard.

wow I have never seen a tercel that old, i have a hatred for tercels because a tercel is the reason I don't have my ase cause the stupid thing wouldn't come apart and when it did I usually broke stuff.

Posted by Spence wow I have never seen a tercel that old, i have a hatred for tercels because a tercel is the reason I don't have my ase cause the stupid thing wouldn't come apart and when it did I usually broke stuff.

not a toyota!
those are the most perfect vehicle to ever sanctify the earth with it's tire print.
it must because you're an american.

Posted by Spence i have a hatred for tercels

BANANNATIONS!!!!!!!

Got the replacement vehicle figured out today, going to pick it up probably Monday. It's - Samurai, you're gonna love this - a 1986 Toyota 4Runner. 22r 4 cylinder, 5-speed stick, 4x4 for $1500.

I'm not a Toyota freak, but any vehicle that comes factory with an altimeter and roll gauges instantly wins.

And at least I still have my '85 V8 S-10 to balance it out which, by the way, I'm considering dropping the 305 for a 327.

I'm considering dropping the 305 for a 327.

I've got a 350 you could drop in too if you really want to spend money on fuel!

Posted by CDSbigsby Got the replacement vehicle figured out today, going to pick it up probably Monday. It's - Samurai, you're gonna love this - a 1986 Toyota 4Runner. 22r 4 cylinder, 5-speed stick, 4x4 for $1500. I'm not a Toyota freak, but any vehicle that comes factory with an altimeter and roll gauges instantly wins. And at least I still have my '85 V8 S-10 to balance it out which, by the way, I'm considering dropping the 305 for a 327.

86 FourRunner is a fine vehicle... the 22R is legendary and the driveline is bulletproof. I just have a hard time with fanboys and uneducated masses and their goddamn appliances masquerading as cars. You most certainly do not qualify as a fanboy or knownothing.

Posted by CDSbigsby I'm not a Toyota freak, but any vehicle that comes factory with an altimeter and roll gauges instantly wins.

My friend's mom had a 4x4 Tercel Wagon with said options. I wish it was still around!

Posted by bandi My friend's mom had a 4x4 Tercel Wagon with said options. I wish it was still around!

i buried a friends' 85 Tercel SR5 4x4 wagon in the snow one night... Extra LOW should've had a warning sticker on it.